Key Takeaways
- The National Tariff Commission (NTC) has imposed a 9.03 percent anti-dumping duty on imports of pharmaceutical packaging material from China.
- The duty applies to Cold Forming Foil and Tropical Foil, classified under Pakistan Customs Tariff codes 7607.1990 and 7607.2000.
- The investigation was initiated following an application by Zenith Packages Industries (Pvt.) Limited, Lahore.
The National Tariff Commission (NTC) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of 9.03 percent on imports of pharmaceutical packaging material, specifically Cold Forming Foil and Tropical Foil, from China. This decision follows a preliminary determination that the dumped imports have caused material injury to the domestic industry.
The investigation was launched on July 23, 2026, following an application filed by Zenith Packages Industries (Pvt.) Limited, based in Lahore, under the Anti-Dumping Duties Act, 2015. The commission aimed to determine whether imports from China were being sold at dumped prices and whether such imports had caused material injury to the local industry.
The NTC has provisionally concluded that the investigated product was exported from China to Pakistan at dumped prices, and the resulting imports had caused material injury to the local industry. The commission identified several factors contributing to the injury, including a significant increase in the volume of dumped imports, price undercutting, price depression, and price suppression.
The preliminary determination also found a decline in the domestic industry’s market share, sales, production, productivity, capacity utilisation, profits, profitability, and return on investment. Negative effects were also reported on inventories, salaries and wages, growth, and the industry’s ability to raise capital.
To address the injury suffered by the domestic industry, the NTC decided to impose a provisional duty under Section 43 of the Anti-Dumping Duties Act, 2015. However, instead of imposing a duty equivalent to the full dumping margin, the commission opted for a lesser duty equal to the injury margin, determining that a rate of 9.03 percent would be sufficient.
The provisional duty will remain in force for four months from the date of publication of the notice in the press. The product under investigation is an advanced pharmaceutical and nutraceutical packaging material made by layering aluminium with specialised polymers, including Oriented Polyamide Film (OPA) and/or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).
The period for determining dumping covers April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, while the period for assessing material injury spans April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2026. The commission received responses to its exporter questionnaires from one Chinese exporter/foreign producer, Yangzhou Jerel Pharmaceutical New Material Co. Ltd., and determined the preliminary individual dumping margin for the company on the basis of the information provided.
Interested parties registered in the investigation have been invited to request a hearing within 15 days of publication of the notice in the press. Requests must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
